


500 Words You Should Know:  #150  Encomium (for Fire-Sign)

by Shamashe



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Award of Medal, Bravery, Courage, Diplomatic Corp, Gen, Grief, Honor, Memories with Mild War Depictions, deep friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 10:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6419944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shamashe/pseuds/Shamashe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. Butler is decorated with a Medal of Honor from the Boer War - willed to him from an Army comrade and old friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	500 Words You Should Know:  #150  Encomium (for Fire-Sign)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bellairian - who appreciates the research aspects](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Bellairian+-+who+appreciates+the+research+aspects).



> According to AU Natl. Archives, a “clasp” is an “attachment to a medal ribbon proclaiming the wearer to have participated in a campaign, battle or skirmish.”
> 
> I based this story on facts, but with respect to relatives of veterans of this war, as well as the AU documentarians, I have combined, generalized and fictionalized some of the details. Most research was done through Wikipedia and the AU War Memorial archives. Special thanks to those who created and contributed to the websites for The Consular Corps Melbourne, AU Light Horse Studies Center, National Archives of Australia and especially to Craig Wilcox, for his brilliant papers submitted to Academia.edu.
> 
> The original characters are, of course, based on Kerry Greenwood’s work. I made up Thomas Fitzhume.

Encomium  
noun; en·co·mi·um  
1\. A tribute or an expression of high praise  
2\. Glowing and warmly enthusiastic praise

 

There was a knock. When Mr. Butler answered, an official of the Diplomatic Consular Corps greeted him, using his former military rank. After a moment of shocked surprise and introduction, Mr. Butler accepted a letter from the official, who also gave him a small formal bow. As the official stood nearby, in what seemed like an attention stance, Mr. Butler read the letter. It was from his dearest friend, Thomas Fitzhume, written, apparently, just before he died from a sudden illness.

“Dear Toby,

It seems like such a long time since I last saw you, even though it’s only been a few months. I’m so glad we were able to meet when I was last in Melbourne. You always tell the best stories and I spend so much time around people with absolutely no sense of humor.  

Speaking of which, as you know, I’ve tried for years to sway the ministry to give you your own medal, but they’ve refused and then, with the outbreak of a bigger war, their attention was diverted from my plea.

So many good men fought and died in both wars and many heroic acts were duly commemorated; yet the recognition due to you never occurred. I still feel that you rightfully deserve to be officially recognized by your fellow countrymen. Had you not diverted the enemy attack by collapsing that dam, many men would have died. Had you not braved the flood and risked your own life to pull me out from under my horse, I would not be writing you this letter.

It seems your influence in my life never ceased. Because of your sound advice, wisdom and steadfast friendship over the years, I have been able to enjoy a loving marriage and family and establish myself in diplomatic service, as I always wanted to do.

Continuing to serve my country and attempt reparation for the atrocities we witnessed has been my great honor. To have lived to do so is solely due to your courage and bravery. We have always been more than comrades, we have been lifelong friends and that friendship has sustained me.

So I’m writing with oddly good news. In a final plea to have your heroism recognized, I have recently been granted the privilege of posthumously endowing you with my own medal. It may seem out of place now, but in this small way I can bestow upon you a measure of the recognition that was bestowed upon me. You so richly deserved this then, I ask that you honor me once more by accepting it when the time comes.

On a more cheerful note, I have a trip coming up that may include Melbourne, so I hope to see you again very soon. I look forward to going out to celebrate! I will write you with the details when I know them. Until then, as always, live well and be happy my dear friend.

With deepest regards,

Tommy”

 

Mr. Butler felt his hands shaking slightly. As he folded the letter and looked up, the official handed him an additional envelope, engraved with a formal government seal. He said that he was to wait for a response.

The letter inside was a request for Mr. Butler, “To appear at the Diplomatic Consulate Melbourne to receive a magisterial encomium in an official ceremony.” He was directed to “bring any person or persons whom he wished to attend.” Upon his acceptance, the official left.

Tobias had only received the notice of Tommy’s death in the last week and was still shaken by it. Interestingly, Detective Robinson had been there when he received the news and had been of great comfort to him one night while waiting for Miss Fisher to arrive. As a fellow war veteran, he was fully aware of the strength of comradeship and loyalties. He was also aware of the kind of grief that a “notification of death” could cause and offered his company anytime it might be needed.

On the day of the awards ceremony, Jack and Constable Collins drove to Wardlow to pick up Miss Fisher, Dorothy and Mr. Butler. They met Bert, Cec and a few family members and friends at the Consulate. When everyone was settled, Mr. Butler was called forth and announced to the Lord High Mayor - then, an official of the Crown stepped up and read a statement to him.

“First Sergeant, Tobias James Butler, on behalf of His Majesty, King George V, you are hereby formally presented with the medal bestowed upon Second Lieutenant, Thomas Harold Fitzhume during his service in the Victorian 5th, Mounted Rifle Regiment, Second Anglo-Boer War.

Having then honorably served the Crown in the Diplomatic Consular Corps for the remainder of his life, Lieutenant Fitzhume was granted that he be allowed to posthumously endow Sergeant Butler with such honor as was bestowed upon himself in recognition of his wartime heroism and service to his country.

Within such endowment, the medal given to Lieutenant Fitzhume has now been “clasped” to include Sergeant Butler in it’s content with long overdue recognition of his own bravery and heroism.

Tobias Butler, in receiving this endowment, you are therefore awarded full honors and entitlements hereafter and the Crown extends its favor and gratitude to you. Congratulations Sir and thank you for your enduring service to the British Crown and the Commonwealth of Australia.”

Mr. Butler was saluted and given a presentation case enclosing an awards document and the box for his medal. He then bent forward to have the medal ribbon placed over his head. During the applause, Mr. Butler held himself still and received his due. Inside though, he was flooded with remembrances of his friend.

 

After the ceremony, Miss Fisher took them all to dinner at the Windsor Hotel to celebrate. Mr. Butler stoically responded and graciously accepted congratulations throughout the meal.

In the car, enroute back to Wardlow, everyone was quiet and Mr. Butler looked back on the events leading to this commendation. He remembered how he and his friend had spoken of the valor of this war they had volunteered to fight in, not knowing of the bloody realities. Tommy had spoken of it as being a way to show the true strength of the Australian spirit and of their service, possibly making a difference in the lives of the indigenous peoples.

Tobias thought of the times when his friend had intervened and prevented conflict within ranks - of the foresight he had that had prevented several disastrous skirmishes with the locals and possibly saved lives on the battlefield. He remembered the day the medal was awarded to his friend and comrade. He thought to himself, “Tommy, you may have felt that I deserved this medal, but it was really _you_ who changed the course of events.”

Ever the diplomat, even then, long before he joined the Consular Corps, Tommy had taken it upon himself to attempt to negotiate with the leader of the Boer commandos - getting the commandant to agree to take an offer of a temporary truce back to his superiors. It was sheer happenstance that the conversation even took place.

Disheartened by the conditions of Britain’s “scorched earth” policy, Tommy had volunteered to scout the perimeter to locate and map dangerous ground and traps set around the veldt. His troop had been ambushed several times recently and had lost several horses when they stepped into “dongas,” a local expression meaning that flowing water had undercut solid ground. He was navigating an area that had sudden drop offs when he came upon a ranking Boer commando, who had undertaken a similar excursion. They unexpectedly met each other while trying to avoid falling into the same crevasse.  

A rapid progression of events ended in a simultaneous near miss at the edge of a dangerous embankment. Had Tommy not pulled him back over the edge, the commandant would have fallen in and probably died, caught up in a trap set by his own troops to crush opposing forces as they entered the ravine or “kloof.” In his gratitude, he listened to what Tommy proposed. Tobias remembered how his friend had both laughed and cried with relief when word came down that a temporary truce had been declared.

After that day, it seemed that the course of the war changed - not directly due to Tommy’s efforts, but as a result of revised battle strategies. Toby (as Tommy called him) liked to think that the time of rest created by the truce had generated a movement towards resolution on both sides. Reportedly, Tommy was credited with saving hundreds of lives as a result of his efforts to gain that truce.

The car slowed a bit as they approached a dip in the road and Tobias shifted his position before he continued to reminisce back to the day he had saved his friend’s life. On his lookout patrol, Tobias had seen the Boer commandos massing over the river towards his troop in a sneak attack. After alerting his superior and at his commander’s signal, Tobias shot out the holding pins of the dam that had been constructed as a temporary barrier - keeping his own troop hidden. In the resulting rush of water, which ungrounded the attacking force, his troop had been able to gain the advantage.

A bullet had grazed Tommy just as he picked off a Boer sniper who was targeting his commanding officer. Tommy’s horse was shot out from under him and Tobias saw him fall and then get sucked under in the rushing water of the breaking dam. As he rushed to his aide, Tobias shot two more commandos bearing down on them and was able to pry Tommy loose and pull him up under an overhanging root where they could wedge themselves, narrowly saving them both from being crushed as the main dam supports fell. They both spent a week in the infirmary recovering from their wounds, feeling fortunate not to be one of the more seriously wounded or dead.            

In the final victory, it was noted that, “Had the dam not ‘given way’ the loss of life would have been tremendous. Only through the valiant efforts of a few courageous soldiers was a larger conflict avoided.”

Tommy received his medal for saving the life of his commanding officer whereas Tobias only received recognition of his service for “carrying out his orders in a orderly and efficient manner.” Tobias had never regretted not receiving a medal. He had saved his friend and that was all that mattered to him. But Tommy knew the truth and demanded that he be included in the commendation awards. He had to let it lie eventually due to his position with the Consular Corps, but had never forgotten it.

Through the years, they remained close friends, each other’s “best man” and Tobias, godfather to Tommy’s only child. They had celebrated when Tommy was accepted into service with the Diplomatic Consular Corps and grieved the deaths of their wives and Tommy’s son at the end of WWI. Tommy’s diplomatic support during the war had grown to be invaluable in the years to follow and he had recently written of his desire to be part of the formation of the League of Nations.

 

The car was slowing again and Tobias pulled back from his reveries to see that they had reached Wardlow. When everyone was out of the car, he patiently accepted their final congratulations and smiled as they all bade him goodnight.

Back in his quarters however, Tobias sat staring at the medal, still caught in both grief and awe. The implications of the additional honors given to him had not yet penetrated, but they were not his focus. He simply sat missing his old mate.

“Rest in peace, my dear, dear friend. Thank you for your honor. Thank you for your laughter and light. Thank you for your generous spirit and your heart.” For a few minutes, Tobias sat quietly. Then he took a shuddering breath, gently wiped the splash of a tear off the medal, closed the box and put his hand over it. He bowed his head and whispered, “Farewell, Tommy.”


End file.
